Bahia Ballena

Bahia Ballena is a tiny town on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is situated southwards within the district of Osa called Costa Ballena. It is usually considered as a part of Uvita, one of the most appealing communities of southern Costa Rica. Bahia Ballena is only 15 minutes away from Dominical, a beautiful village with exquisite coastlines. For tourism, the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica is flawlessly vogue. There are ubiquitous landscapes which are unique and pleasing to the eyes such as clusters of glorious beaches, a panoramic ocean with immense sea-life, enormous jungles flourishing with wildlife, parks, volcanoes, rivers and even waterfalls. Bahia Ballena may be small but is not short of anything. It is a picture-perfect place for vacationers desiring for a revivifying vacation. Leisure on the beach, learn to surf, hike through forested trails, snorkel to visit the marine creatures and live in comfortable hotel – Bahia Ballena is an ideal holiday spot.

Bahia Ballena translates into Whale Bay. The name seems reasonable. Due to low tides, the shape of the sandbar on the northern end of Marino Ballena National Park appears like a tail of a giant whale/ Furthermore, the water conditions of the Pacific Ocean is adequately temperate all year round which makes it perfect for whales for breeding and birthing. There are several species of whales such as false killer whales, Orca Whales, Beaked whales, Sei whales, Pilot Whales and Humpback Whales. The presence of whales lures thousands of tourists during the whale-watching seasons. The climate of Bahia Ballena is fairly average all year. The stable weather is quite beautiful; the tropical colors, with bits of rainfalls and sunshine blend superbly. The wet season begins in late June and ends in November. The dry season is a more popular for summertime getaways.

The Marino Ballena National Park is a major tourist attraction of Bahia Ballena. The whales, particularly Humpback Whales, migrate from the frigid oceans to Pacific Ocean for breeding during the months of December to April. The park sprawls over 270 acres of terrestrial area and 13,300 acres of marine area. It was established in 1990 and has the largest coral reef of the Pacific coast. Besides whales, the park shelters various other animals. There are marine birds, reptiles, mammals, and other sea creatures; they include agouti, black ctenosaur, caoti and birds like bananaquits, blue-footed boobie birds, frigatebirds and a lot more. The park has crystal-clear snorkelling points with just the right amount of sunlight making it possible to view the underwater life. Cano Island is a gorgeous isle with landmarks like beaches, nature reserves and haciendas. Activities in Bhaia Ballena include surf lessons, whale-watching tours, dolphin watching tours, hikes, kayaking, canopy tours, yoga lessons, horseback riding, sport-fishing, and scuba diving.

There is a good range of accommodations in the town that suit everybody’s needs. There re cabinas, eco-lodges, and hotels. Some of the recognized accommodations are Hotel Bahia Azul, Nido del Halcon, Villas Maria Luisa, Cabinas Bahia Uvita, Perla de Bahia and Luz de Luna. For a more lavish stay, there are great resorts and hotels outside Bahia Ballena such as in Uvita and Dominical. Vacation feels incomplete without trying out meals of a few restaurants. For a delicious Costa Rican cuisine, visit one of the ‘sodas’ in Bahia Ballena. There are american and other international dishes as well. Restaurante Los Delfines, Soda Ranchito, Citrus Restaurante, Soda La Yeimi and Restaurante Bahia Azul are some of the preffered hotels in Bahia Ballena.

Nearby attractions include Playa Hermosa, Oro Verde, Terraba-Sierpe Mangroves, Nauyaca Waterfalls, tours to Dominical community and Uvita.